Wards Corner Civic League

Property and real estate bills are hitting mailboxes this week. Residents and business owners can take advantage of the tax relief program to help ease their financial burdens during this time. City Council passed the comprehensive program on March 24 giving residents and business owners the option to delay payment on business taxes and personal property taxes. The revised schedule for this temporary delay is:

• Late payments of meals tax, admissions tax, occupancy tax and transient occupancy tax due in April 2020, May 2020 and June 2020 will not be assessed penalty or interest until 60 days after their due date.  Timely filing is still required.

• Late payments of business personal property tax, personal property tax and real estate tax due between the date of this ordinance and August 1, 2020 will not be assessed penalty and interest until August 1, 2020.

• Convenience fees for online transactions with the City Treasurer’s office occurring between the date of this ordinance and June 30, 2020 are waived.  Taxpayers who pay with a credit card or other electronic payment method will not be charged a fee during this time.

The annual Car Tax Relief Days at Lakewood Park and the Southside Aquatic Center are canceled due to COVID-19. Residents requesting a reassessment for high mileage can still participate online! Just submit a picture or copy of the state inspection receipt, name and account number listed on the bill to corwebinq@norfolk.gov.  Staff will follow up to determine eligibility.

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The deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 12th.

The Norfolk Office of Elections encourages you to vote at home for the May 19, 2020 General Election (rescheduled from May 5th).

You can request an absentee ballot online from the Virginia Department of Elections https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation

Register to vote or update your voter registration information online, too.

When you vote at home, you help limit the exposure of COVID-19.

**Voters may request an absentee ballot by mail for the May 19, 2020 General Election using “My disability or illness” if they do not have another qualifying reason.**

The deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 12th.

For more information, please visit our webpage at: www.norfolk.gov/elections

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City departments will continue to provide mission critical service with a reduced workforce through May 4.  Reductions were announced on March 30 and were scheduled to end on April 13.  Most public health accounts have the virus peaking in mid-to-late April, so the decision was made to extend the city’s current operations.

Trash and recycling collection will continue.  The driver will not get out of the truck to pick up any trash not in a can. 

For the ongoing health and safety of city employees, bulk items will not be picked up unless those items pose a public safety risk.  Yard waste, either in bundles or clear bags, will not be picked up. Residents are asked to remove items off the curb or place items in the green can if there is room to do so.  Residents should not schedule bulk pickups until notified that the city has returned to normal operations.

Residents who wish to take bulk and yard waste to the SPSA landfill in Suffolk should visit www.spsa.com for operating hours and information.  SPSA’s Norfolk Transfer Station will reopen to Norfolk residents on Saturday April 18 from 8a-12p.

Parking garages will remain open to the public free of charge.

Police, Fire-Rescue and 9-1-1 operators remain fully staffed. 

Residents are asked to use MyNorfolk online or mobile app for all service requests versus calling Norfolk Cares and experiencing longer than normal wait times.

Staff will continue to respond to emergency requests.  Any requests that are not considered an emergency will be handled as soon as staffing levels return to normal. 

For updates to city operations, visit the FAQ on the front page of Norfolk.gov or city Facebook and Twitter accounts. 

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• Albertsons: Stores are open from 7 to 9 .am. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for seniors and at-risk customers to shop.
• ALDI: Stores are open from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for seniors and at-risk customers to shop.
• Big Y: Stores are open from 7 to 8 a.m. daily for seniors and at-risk customers to shop.
• BJ’s Wholesale Club: Anyone 60 and older can shop from 8 to 9 a.m.
• Costco: Any member 60 and older can shop from 8 to 9 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday. No more than two people can enter the store with each membership card at one time.
• Dollar General: The first hour of operation is reserved for seniors. Call your local store to find out opening times.
• Fareway: Anyone 65 and older, immunocompromised, or expectant mothers can shop from 8 to 9 a.m. Monday through Saturday.
• Food Lion: Every Monday and Wednesday, seniors and at-risk customers can shop from 7 to 8 a.m.
• Food Town: Anyone 65 and older can shop from 7 to 8 a.m.
• Fred Meyer: Seniors and at-risk customers can shop from 7 to 8 a.m. Monday through Thursday.
• Fresh Market: Anyone 65 and older can shop from 8 to 9 a.m. on weekdays.
• Gelson’s: Anyone 65 and older can shop from 7 to 8 a.m.
• Harris Teeter: Every Monday and Thursday from 6 to 8 a.m. is reserved for shoppers 60 and older.
• HEB: Starting March 23, all stores offer the Favor Senior Support Line, a personal shopping and delivery service for at-risk customers, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m daily.
• Kroger: All stores open at least one hour earlier for seniors and at-risk customers. Call your local store for exact times.
• Morton Williams: Stores are open from 7 to 8 a.m. for “senior hour.”
• Pavilions: Stores are open from 7 to 9 .am. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for seniors and at-risk customers to shop.
• Price Chopper: Stores are open from 7 to 8 a.m. for seniors and at-risk customers.
• Publix: Anyone 65 and older can shop on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7 to 8 a.m.
• Rite Aid: Seniors and at-risk customers can shop from 9 to 10 a.m. on weekdays.
• Safeway: Stores are open from 7 to 9 .am. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for seniors and at-risk customers to shop.
• Sam’s Club: Seniors and at-risk customers can shop every Tuesday and Thursday from 7 to 9 a.m.
• Shaw’s: Stores are open from 7 to 9 .am. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for seniors and at-risk customers to shop.
• Stop & Shop: Seniors and at-risk customers can shop from 6 to 7:30 a.m.
• Target: Stores are reserving an hour on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for “vulnerable shoppers.” Call your local store to find out exact hours.
• Trader Joe’s: Stores will dedicate the first hour (either 8 to 9 .am. or 9 to 10 a.m.) to seniors and at-risk customers. Call your local store to find out exact hours.
• Vons: Stores are open from 7 to 9 .am. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for seniors and at-risk customers to shop.
• Walgreens: Tuesdays are considered “Seniors Day” with all-day discounts and seniors-only shopping from 8 to 9 a.m.
• Walmart: From now through April 28, stores open one hour early on Tuesday for 60 and older to shop.
• Whole Foods Market: Stores open one hour early for 60 and older and at-risk customers to shop. Call your local store for exact hours.
• WinCo Foods: Every Tuesday and Thursday, seniors and at-risk customers can shop from 6 to 7:30 a.m.
• Winn-Dixie: All seniors and at-risk customers can shop from 8 to 9 a.m. Monday through Friday.

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Are you looking for some fun activities for the entire family while you #stayathome? Check out the virtual events below!

Photo Scavenger Hunt!
April 11-12
Get your family together, give yourself an hour to collect as many items on the list below as possible while practicing social distancing. Be sure to take plenty of photos! RPOS looks forward to the results! Tag RPOS with your photos and your results: @NorfolkRPOS #stayhomeandplay

Facebook event
Download the checklist

Chalk Art Challenge
April 13-17
Go outside get some fresh air and create! You can draw whatever you like, stick figures, your favorite animal or even doodles.
Post photos of your creations on Facebook and Instagram and tag @NorfolkRPOS. Remember to include the hashtag #stayhomeandplay.

Facebook event

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The Norfolk Fitness & Wellness indoor pool is permanently closed. It is no longer viable for the pool to remain open. The dome has reached its useful life. Based on engineering review from an outside structural engineering firm and city engineers, the collapse or loosening of additional parts, panels, etc. could result in a hazardous and unsafe condition for our patrons.

The Department of Recreation, Parks & Open Space (RPOS) has decided to provide prorated refunds to all current members of the facility. Beginning on April 1, 2020 members will receive a prorated refund depending on when their membership was established. RPOS will work diligently to process refunds as quickly as possible. It is recommended that you login to WebTrac and ensure that your address, phone number and email are correct.

Checks will be sent by mail to the address we have on file for you regardless of how your payment was made. To collect your complimentary pass(es) please bring in your notice as well as your ID to your nearest recreation center once the COVID19 pandemic has subsided and normal city operations have commenced.

If you have additional questions, please send an email to RECTRAC_HELP@norfolk.gov and include as much of the following information as possible in your email:

• Name of requestor
• Household # (if known)
• Address
• Phone Number

Beginning April 1, 2020, the Norfolk Fitness & Wellness membership rates will align with the department’s recreation & community center fee structure:

Resident Rates:
• $20.00 annually for youth (17 and under)
• $50.00 annually for adults
• Free for residents ages 65 and over

Non-Resident Rates:
• $50.00 annually for youth (17 and under)
• $125.00 annually for adults

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Norfolk has created two online tools to help you stay informed on resources and updates about the local effects of COVID-19.

First, check out their interactive map for food distribution sites for school lunches, food pantries, and other community supports.

https://orf.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=3b13986992d046ae85bfe4fce2e039ad

Second, check out their COVID-19 information hub, which provides a single site for dozens of coronavirus resources, from the Centers for Disease Control and Norfolk’s Health Department to our interactive business status map to messages from Mayor Kenneth Cooper Alexander.

https://coronavirus-response-orf.hub.arcgis.com/

City buildings are closed, but Team Norfolk remains hard at work to serve our residents.

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Get counted! The 2020 Census is happening now. There is no need to leave your house. You can respond online, by phone, or by mail. More information is available at https://2020census.gov/en.html.

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If you feel called to help those in our community impacted by #COVID-19 and you have time to spare or a dollar or two, these groups want to hear from you.

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Our plans for a March newsletter, like many other plans, were derailed by COVID-19. Below is the message I had typed up on March 10th prior to the pandemic fully setting in. I am posting this now for your information. Priorities have shifted in the weeks since I originally wrote this, but our concerns still remain and will re-emerge with time. I hope you all are staying well in this crisis. Please continue to look to our website and NextDoor for neighborhood updates while we keep our social distance.

Stay well,
Scott Guirlinger

Spring has not officially started yet but it might as well have with the warm weather we’ve been experiencing. With the change of season comes renewed energy for cleaning up and enacting meaningful change in our community. We have a well-rounded slate of speakers with informative updates scheduled for this month’s meeting on Monday the 16th. I hope you all can join us.

As most of you are aware, our December newsletter contained a bit of misinformation on the status of the indoor pool at the Norfolk Fitness & Wellness Center (NFWC). The inadvertent uproar that it caused led myself and the civic league board to pursue more information on the status of the overall facility and plans for a replacement pool. (To reiterate the current situation, the indoor pool is past its designed lifespan, and the dome is expected to fail its annual structural inspection at some point in the next 3 years, at which point the existing pool will be permanently closed. The inspection takes place every March.) Below is a recap of what we have learned. In the spirit of transparency and communication, I have tried to keep this as objective and factual as possible and do my best not to include my own opinions and biases.  The Wards Corner civic league has a vested interest in the NFWC being a successful facility given that it sits within the confines of our neighborhood.

Regarding plans for a replacement pool, there are currently no specific plans or earmarked funds. The current Recreation, Parks, and Open Spaces (RPOS) master plan was adopted in 2012 and calls for an Olympic size pool on the NFWC site. The civic league board is asking for a specific plan for a replacement pool to be established as soon as possible so that it is ready to enact when the dome inevitably fails its inspection.

The civic league board has asked RPOS staff for data on the financial viability of the NFWC. We are concerned that the permanent closure of the indoor pool (particularly with no specific replacement plan in place) could lead to a significant drop in membership and eventual closure of the facility and would like some assurances, with supporting numerical data, that this will not happen.

In our discussions, some residents have asked why the NFWC does not accept city facility use cards and why membership rates are as much as four times the rates of city recreation centers. So I asked city staff for an official statement that I could share with our residents and received the following:

The Norfolk Fitness and Wellness Center isn’t a recreation center but a wellness center that features the following: fitness rooms, racquetball gymnasium, indoor pool and outdoor pool. This facility is a membership driven facility. This facility is close to a 90,000 sq. foot facility.

The typical Norfolk Recreation Center is 10,000 to 26,000 sq feet which provides a community meeting room, office space, restrooms. A handful of these centers may have a gymnasium and a small fitness room but the scope of programming and services are not that of a Fitness/ Wellness Center.

NORFOLK RECREATION, PARKS, & OPEN SPACES

I probed a little further and also learned the following:

• All NFWC membership fees go into the RPOS general fund; no membership fees are allocated directly to the NFWC facility.
• NFWC membership fees total less than half of the total expenses of the facility.

Our civic league board is now asking city staff to provide specific membership metrics as well as additional details on the specific services and amenities provided to NFWC members that differentiate this facility from other city facilities. This is to provide us and you, the residents of Wards Corner, with the assurance that our neighborhood facility is alive and well. We plan to share an update with you at our April meeting. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns of your own that you would like to include in this conversation, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you!
Scott Guirlinger

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